Review: Desert Storm ‘Buried Under The Weight Of Reason’
I’m not going to dedicate a large portion of this review to a sepia-tinged ‘…‘member when Desert Storm were just starting out…’meme, but it is gratifying to be able to confirm my long-held, steady, inevitable feeling that after nineteen years of hard work, they would crack the fabled glass ceiling.
As a champion of British bands, it is great to see that they find themselves plying their trade doing European tours, gracing the main stage of Bloodstock and releasing their latest album, Buried Under The Weight of Reason, on the renowned Heavy Psych Sounds, rubbing shoulders with the likes of heavyweights such as Pentagram and Bongzilla.
Since arriving on APF Records in 2018 with Sentinels, they found a home that would support, nourish and help them grow and refine their sound over the course of two more increasingly heavy-hitting slabs of quality metal – 2020’s Omens and 2023’s incredible Death Rattle. A long way from the baby-faced ‘stoner’ band I saw supporting Karma To Burn at Plymouth’s Bretonside Bus Station back in 2010. Yeah… I ‘member…
So, a small tip of the cap should be given to the head of their former label, Andrew Fields, for letting the band be themselves and have the freedom to explore their sound. Funnily enough, Desert Storm prompted an internal discussion here at Shaman Towers as to exactly what hashtags to use when describing the band, incorporating as they do, elements of stoner, doom, progressive metal and post-metal into their grooving bludgeon. The simple answer is that Desert Storm play heavy metal, and from the evidence of their new album, there are few on this vaunted isle doing it better right now.
Album number seven is the first to feature Andrew Keyzor, who has replaced Battalions man Matthew Dennett on bass, and once again features the studio augmentation of Chris White on guitars, keyboards and backing vocals to round out a sound that is simply monstrous from the get-go.
Immediately grabbing your attention with the huge ringing chords of Newfound Respect, the Cole brothers – Ryan on guitar and Elliot behind the kit – combine to create a thumping, driving sound that is quintessentially Desert Storm. The moody, dramatic atmosphere bristles with part Sabbath panache, part Crowbar stomp.
When they launch into a grinding groove that grows to a gallop, Matt Ryan’s vocals are commanding, surprisingly subtle, and way more melodic than he is often given credit for. The choppy opener draws you in, but teasingly keeps the big guns holstered. For now.
Preview single Shamanic Echoes has a spooky opening that feels shrouded in mist before an imperious riff – the first of many that could be described as such – scythes through. Here, Desert Storm seem more progressive, more mature as the track evolves. Matt’s gruff vocals are low and in full-on-storytelling mode, drawing you in. Featuring a spine-tingling solo backed by pattering toms, it morphs into a ‘70s acid trip vibe while the powerful blues experimentation of Sabbath looms large in the harmonious, multi-layered vocals.
The moody, dramatic atmosphere bristles with part Sabbath panache, part Crowbar stomp…
Woodsman features a delicate, almost vulnerable start with clean singing before succumbing to the bullish churn that sees the band back on more familiar territory. Once more, the Cole brothers lock step with brooding fills and dazzlingly lead flourishes.
The pounding intro of Cut Your Teeth sets the tone, bruising and muscular, it feels like a definitive statement of Desert Storm 2026 in a nutshell. The hard-hitting riffs and pummelling drums are lean and full of hooks, whilst Matt’s vocals cut through with assuredness and a confidence that shows why they have risen to the position they have. The lighter parts only serve to highlight the power when they ignite into passages that will see mosh pits and gurning abound.
Another stylish lead kicks off Rot To Ruin. The stop/start dynamics make the track more dramatic as they delay the moment before breaking into vintage rolling, blues-laden guitar work. The extended breakdown shows off the chemistry and musical skill at play, and the classic, slowed-down riffing during the ending is top-notch.
After the short, delicate interlude of Carry The Weight, the gentle guitar gives way to the explosive, fast-paced Dripback. Slamming and propelled by manic drums, screams and pummelling riffs, Desert Storm ditch much of the niceties they have been carefully building, to go for the throat in a barrage of raw power.
Another bombastic, swaggering riff opens personal album highlight, Law Unto Myself, which leans back on the stoner vibes of their earlier career, but is somehow sharper and incredibly catchy. The dancing leads complement the Cro-Magnon slam of the main hook and the caesura that accents the drop… *chef’s kiss*
Twelve Seasons keeps up the pace as they refuse to go quietly into the night and get back to more ringing passages and galloping, urgent verses. When the band open up to the anthemic, swinging chorus that sees Chris White and Matt entwining their vocals, it adds delicious harmonies to elevate the heads-down charge. Featuring some of the album’s finest guitar work, Ryan saves the best soloing until last as the instrumental passages in the middle are absolutely on fire, proving that the band are aware of the expectations now placed on them and rise to the challenge with aplomb.
On the surface, Buried Under The Weight Of Reason feels acutely less experimental than Death Rattle, but the truth is that all those elements have been absorbed into the fabric of every song, adding subtle light and shade. Nearly twenty years in and Desert Storm feel more assured and greater for this release, and it would be unreasonable to suggest otherwise…
Label: Heavy Psych Sounds
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Mark Hunt-Bryden
